Several Santa Paula High School juniors listen as a college representative tells them about what her school offers. Representatives from about two-dozen colleges, universities and other educational institutions set up in the McMahan gym last week to encourage students to choose them after graduation from high school.

SPHS juniors get to preview colleges and universities

March 18, 2015
Santa Paula News

The junior class at Santa Paula High School had the opportunity to talk with college representatives from around the state and some from out of state last week at a  College Faire, held in the McMahan Gym.

Representatives from about two-dozen colleges, universities and other educational institutions set up in the gym to encourage students to choose them after graduation from high school. There were representatives from such schools as UC Berkley, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, Cal State University Channel Islands, Westmont College, University of Massachusetts, Purdue University, Ventura College, Oxnard College and Santa Barbara City College.

The event got underway with welcoming remarks from SPHS Principal Elizabeth Garcia. “We have a wonderful opportunity at today’s Higher Ed Day.” Following her introduction to the event, a speaker from each of the institutions made brief remarks about their schools and why they thought students should consider them after graduation.

Angel Fuentes was talking to a representative from Cal State Chico, one of the schools he’s interested in attending. He’s looking at a career in criminal justice, possibly in police work as a detective.  Daisy Martinez is also interested in a criminal justice career. She was talking to people from the National Park service. “They’re offering law enforcement jobs while you attend college part time,” she said.  Martinez said the career appeals to her because it’s a way to help people.  Valarie Ramirez said the College Faire was a lot of help for students. She said she was undecided on a career path. 

Glenda Learn, who runs the SPHS Career Center, organized the College Faire. She said this event has been going on for eight years, but there was a similar event prior to that. “It’s been going on for a long time,” she said. “It was done primarily by the community colleges in the beginning when I was first hired on. For the last five years UC Santa Barbara took it over and they’ve been coordinating it ever since.” UCSB gets all the college representatives and puts them on a week-long schedule of visiting about three high schools a day. “That gives them lots of exposure, so they get the most bang for their buck,” she added. “It’s wonderful for the kids. They don’t get an opportunity to see these schools otherwise unless they can travel.” She noted that there’s a big College Faire in April at the Ventura County Fairgrounds with up to 150 schools represented.





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